I am not clear on historical facts

[ravishingravi]

But this what a friend asked me and I had no clue what the answer was. Why did the Don retire when he was averaging 99.99. Surely, he could have played an innings or two atleast to get that average up to 100. Considering extensive research I have seen done here on eras gone by our friends here, I would like to know why he did not play that extra innings. Didn't he realize that an average of 100 would change the cricketing world forever.

[rabinjackman]

or why he played that last game when his average was already above 100

[ravishingravi]

But surely if he wanted to he could have played one more innings just to get it above 100, no ?

[vvvslaxman]

No idea.. i think he announced it before the game itself if i am right.. If it were Sir Don Afridi he would have reconsidered his retirement lol

[Magneto]

But this what a friend asked me and I had no clue what the answer was. Why did the Don retire when he was averaging 99.99. Surely, he could have played an innings or two atleast to get that average up to 100. Considering extensive research I have seen done here on eras gone by our friends here, I would like to know why he did not play that extra innings. Didn't he realize that an average of 100 would change the cricketing world forever.

99.94 you mean. He had already declared that the England series would be his farewell series, and he had an average of 101. 39 when he walked in to bat in his final Test. He batted only once because England suffered an innings defeat. He'd already declared in advance that it would be his farewell series, so how can he possibly make a comeback again. He is not Afridi.

[saneindian]

Because the next test Australia played was 18 months after the last test of Don! He would have been nearing 42 by that time had he played on. Add to the fact that he suffered a massive decline in form scoring just 500 + runs at an average of only 60 or so in his last series :P

[Magneto]

or why he played that last game when his average was already above 100

He was supposed to play the entire Ashes series, so he had to play the final Test anyway.

[coffee_rules]

He saw the rise in bowling and fielding quality and he thought his average would go below 99.94. Whatever they say about a bird in hand....

[Crookbond]

But this what a friend asked me and I had no clue what the answer was. Why did the Don retire when he was averaging 99.99. Surely' date= he could have played an innings or two atleast to get that average up to 100. Considering extensive research I have seen done here on eras gone by our friends here, I would like to know why he did not play that extra innings. Didn't he realize that an average of 100 would change the cricketing world forever.

Wrong reasons, he wasn't a record seeker.

[Sachinism]

They weren't stats obsessed like Tendulkar in them days. He didn't even know about the record. Retirement was pre-planned. What happened, happened and later they discovered his average